Clutch



8, 1944. J. L. AASLAND 70 CLUTCH Filed Jan. 26, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1$11/1IIIIII/IIIIIIIJIIIIIIII7@ Patented Feb. 8, 1944 UNHTED' STATESATENT ()FFICE- CLUTCH John L. Aasland, Moline, IlL, assignor toInternational Harvester Company, a corporation of New Jersey 10 Claims.

This invention relates to a clutch and'more particularly to a shiftingmechanism for a clutch.

The invention contemplates and has for its principal object theprovision of an improved means for engaging and disengaging a clutch.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved means forholding a clutch out of engagement.

A still further object is to provide an improved means for moving aclutch out of a disengaging position.

According to the present invention, a clutch is mounted upon a fixedsupport and comprises a driving and a driven element. Means for shiftingthe driving and driven elements is provided in the form of aclutch-shifting element mounted for pivotal movement upon a fixedsupport. A link is pivotally connected to the clutch-shifting elementand is provided with a latch adapted to cooperate with a portion of thesupport for holding the clutch-shifting element in a clutch-disengagingposition. An actuating member in the form of a lever is pivotallymounted on the support, said lever having a portion adapted to engagethe clutch-shifting element for moving the same into itsclutchdisengaging position. Means is also provided on the lever forreturning the clutch-shifting ele ment to its clutch-engaging position.

For a more complete understanding of the invention and for other objectsand advantages of the invention, reference may be had to the followingdetailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying sheetsof drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a clutch and clutch-disengagingmeans showing the clutch in its normally engaged driving position;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view ofa clutch and clutch-disengagingmeans showing the clutch in a disengaging position;

Figure 3 is a side elevational View of a clutch and clutch-disengagingmeans showing the clutch locked out of engagement;

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the clutch and clutch-disengagingmeans showing the clutch about to be released to its clutchengagingposition; and

Figure 5 is a rear View of a portion of the clutch-disengaging means.

A clutch-supporting structure, generally designated at I0, is providedwith a flanged plate member H connected to the structure I 0 byfastening means in the form of bolts l2 and It. A housing l4 having atubular extension M is connected to the supporting structure 10 by thebolts l2 and I3 and supports a clutch, generally designated at IS. Theclutch 55 includes a shaft l6 mounted for rotation in the housingextension 14', the shaft having a driving gear I! fixedly mountedthereon in the housing 14. The clutch l5 includes a driving element isfixedly carried on the shaft l6 for rotation therewith. The element l8engages a driven element l9 rotatably carried on the shaft l6. Forkeeping the driven element l9 in engagement with the element 18, thereis provided a collar 29 fixedly mounted on the shaft l6, said collarholding a resilient means in the form of a spring 2| against a portionof the driven element I9 to keep said element in engagement with thedriving element [8. The driven element I9 includes extensions l9 whichcarry a bearing member 293 journaled on the shaft IS. A power take-offmember 2| is connected to the bearing 26 for rotation with the drivenmember IS.

A clutch-disengaging means is generally designated at 22'and includes aclutch-shifting element which maybe in the form of a bell-crank 23pivotally mounted on the supporting structure l0 and the flanged platemember H. The clutch-shifting element23 is provided with a fork 25 forengaging the driven element I9. At one end of the element 23 there ispivotally connected a link 26 which is kept in a substantially verticalposition with respect to the clutchshifting element 23 by means of alatch 2'! rigidly fastened to the link 25, said latch extending througha slot 28 formed in a flange 29 on the plate member H. The latch 21 isprovided with a projecting portion 30 extending transversely of thelinkZfi. The latch 2'! is also formed with a hook portion 3!, adapted tocooperate with the end of the slot 28 formed in the flange 29 of theplate member II, upon pivotal movement of the clutch-shifting element 23into one position. Means for actuating the clutch-shifting element 23 isprovided in the form of a lever 32 pivotally connected to the supportingstructure In by means of a bolt 24. The lever 32 is pivotally movable ina slot 32' in the flange 29 of the plate member H and is provided with aslot 33 for allowing bodily shifting of the lever 32 from a first pivotpoint 34 to a second pivot point, as designated at 35; Connected to thelever 32 at 36 is a resilient means in the form of a spring 3'! which isconnected at 38 to the flange 29 of the plate member H, said springserving to hold the lever 32 against a portion 32" formed by the slot32' in the flange 29, as best shown in Figure 5, and also serving tohold the lever in its first pivotal position 34. A lifting projectionwhich may be in the form of a semi-circular portion 39 is rigidlysecured to the lever 32 and extends transversely thereof, said portion39 including a recess 29 and a cam portion. The recess 49 of the liftingprojection 39 is adapted to engage the projecting portion 30 of thelatch 21 upon movement of the lever 32, thereby imparting movement tothe clutch-shifting member 23.

In operation for disengaging the clutch from a position as shown inFigure 1, the lever 32 is rotated about its pivot point .34 untilthe'recessed portion of the lifting projection 39 engages the projection3!] on the latch 21, thus imparting pivotal movement to theclutch-shifting member 23 and causing disengagement of the driven meansl9 with respect to the driving element It. As best shown in Figure 2,continued movement of the lever 32 will cause the latch 21 to slide inthe slotted portion 28 until the hooked portion 3|, on the latch 21,cooperates with an end portion of the slot 28, thus holding thecluch-shifting element 23 in clutch-disengaging position. The continuedmovement of the lever 32 and the movement of the clutch-shifting element23 to its locking position will cause the lever 32, by virtue of itsslotted pivotal connection 33, to bodily shift to the second pivot point35 as best shown in Figure 2. The lever 32 is then returned to its firstpivotal point 34 by means of the spring 3! which also operates to returnsaid lever to its starting position against the portion 32" in the slot32, as best shown in Figures 3 and 5.

For reengaging the driven element IS with the driving element l8, thelever 32 is moved in the same direction as that used for disengaging theclutch. The lever 32 pivots about its first pivot point 34 until thelifting projection 39 engages the projecting portion 30 on the lever 21,as best shown in Figure 4. Because of the fact that the lever 32 ispivoting about its first pivot point 34, the outer cam portion 4| of themember 39 engages the projection 30, rather than the recess 40 which waspreviously used for engaging the projection 30 during disengaging of theclutch. At this point, continued movement of the member 32 will causethe cam M to unhook the latch 21 from its position in the slot 28, andthe latch 21 is free to slide through said slot 28, thereby releasingthe clutch-shifting element 23 from its disengaging position, allowingthe spring 2! to return the driven element l9 into its engaging positionwith the driving element I8. It will be noted that the spring 31operates to keep the lever 32 in its first pivotal position 34,.and itis only during movement of the clutch-shifting element 23 to itsdisengaging position that the lever 32 moves to its second pivot point35.

It will be understood, of course, that only a preferred embodiment ofthe invention has been illustrated and described and that numerousmodifications and alterations may be made therein without departing fromthe spirit andscope of the present invention as defined by the appended.claims.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with a clutch, of means for disengaging the clutchcomprising a support, a manually operable lever having a slotted pivotalconnection with the support so as to be bodily shiftable with respect toits pivot point on the support, a clutch-releasing bell-crank pivoted onv the support, a link connected to the bell-crank and having a hookportion adapted to cooperate with a portion of the support to hold thebellcrank in clutch-releasing position, a lifting projection on thelink, a recessed projection on the lever engageable with the liftingprojection on the link upon pivoting of the lever so as to cause bodilyshifting of the lever with respect to the pivot point and engagement ofthe hook portion of the link with the support, and cam means on thelever for contacting the link upon movement of the lever therebyreleasing the hook portion 'from the support to permit engagement of theclutch.

2. The combination with a clutch, of means for disengagingthe clutchcomprising a support, a member having a slotted pivotal connection withthe support so as to be bodily shiftable with respect to its pivot pointon the support, an element pivotally mounted on the support andconnected with the clutch for engaging and releasing said clutch, alatch connected to the element adapted.

to cooperate with the support for'holding the clutch out of engagement,a projection on the latch, a recessed projection on the member adaptedto engage the projection on the latch upon pivoting of the member tocause bodily shifting of the member with respect to the pivot point andcausing engagement of the latch with the support, and means on themember for contacting the latch upon movement of the member therebyreleasing the latch from the support to permit engagement of the clutch.

3. The combination with a clutch, of means fordisengaging the clutchcomprising a support, a

member having a slotted pivotal connection withthe support so as to bebodily shiftable from a first pivot point to a second pivot point, anelement pivotally mounted on the support and connected to the clutch forengaging and releasing said clutch, a latch means connected to theelement for cooperating with a portion of the support to hold the clutchout of engagement, said latch means having a projecting portion, alifting projection on the member for engaging the projecting portion ofthe latch upon movement of the member thereby causing 'the member tobodily shift to its second pivot point until the latch cooperates with aportion of the support to hold the clutch out of engagement, means forreturning the member to its first pivot point, and cam means on themember adapted to contact the projecting portion on the latch meansduring pivotal movement of the member about its first pivot pointthereby causing movement of the latch means out of cooperation with thesupport and thereby permitting engagement of the clutch.

4. The combination with a clutch, of means for I disengaging the clutchcomprising asupport, a member having a slotted pivotal connection withthe support so as to be bodily shiftable with respect to its pivot pointon the support, said member having a projecting portion thereon, aclutchshifting element pivotally mounted on the support for shifting theclutch into an engaging or disengaging position, a locking meansconnected to the element and adapted-to'cooperatewith the support tohold the clutch in the disengaging position, a projection on the elementfor engaging the projection on the member upon movement returning. themember'to its pivot point, and

means on the member for unlocking the element to return the element toits clutch-engaging position upon movement of the member about its pivotpoint.

5. For a clutch having engageable and disengageable parts: a support; acontrol member; pivot means connecting the control member to the supportand including a slotted connection providing for shifting of the pivotpoint to mount the control member for swinging movement with respect tothe support about first and second spaced axes; a clutch operatingrelease element for disengaging the clutch parts; actuating meansoperable by swinging of the control member about the first pivot axisand engageable with the release element to disengage the clutch parts,said pivot point being shiftable to the second pivot axis upon continuedmovement of the control member; latch means for locking the releaseelement in position with the clutch parts disengaged; said latch meansbeing engageable by the actuating. means upon continued movement of themember for locking the release element; means for returning the memberto starting position and the pivot point to its first pivot axis,subsequent swinging of said member causing enagement of the actuatingmeans with the latch means for unlocking said latch means to release theclutch operating element.

6. The combination with a clutch, of means for disengaging the clutchcomprising a support, a member having a slotted pivotal connection withthe support to be bodily shiftable with respect to the support andpivotable about either of two pivot axes, a clutch-releasing elementconnected to the support for movement to and from a clutch-releasingposition, said element having a lifting projection thereon and latchmeans adapted to cooperate with the support for holding the element inclutch-releasing position, a pro- ,iecting portion on the member adaptedto engage the lifting projection on the element upon movement of themember about one axis whereupon continued movement of the member and thereleasing element will cause shifting of the member to a second pivotaxis and said latch means will cooperate with the support to hold theelement in its clutch-releasing position, and means for returning themember to its first pivot axis Whereupon movement of the member aroundsaid axis will move the element from its clutch-releasin position.

'2. In an assembly comprising a clutch, a movable holding part connectedwith the clutch, a

stationary holding part adapted to be engaged by the movable holdingpart in an extreme position for holding the clutch disengaged, and anactuator, the combination with the actuator, of means for causingmovement of the actuator in a certain direction to disengage the clutchand movement in the same direction to reengage the clutch, said meanscomprising cam mean-s associated with the actuator, cam means associatedwith the movable holding part, a support, and means forming a pivotaland shifting mounting of the actuator on the support for causingmovement of the actuator in the said certain direction with the clutchengaged immediately to produce engagement of the cam means associatedwith the actuator and with the movable holding part and thereby to shiftthe actuator With respect to the support to cause the movable holdingpart to engage the stationary holding part for holding the clutchdisengaged, and for causing another movement of the actuator in the saidcertain direction with the holding parts engaged and the clutchdisengaged first to pivot with respect to the support and then toproduce engagement of the cam means associated with the actuator'andwith the movable holding part to disengage the holding parts forreengagement of the clutch.

8. In an assembly comprising a clutch, a movable holding part connectedwith the clutch, a stationary holding part adapted to be engaged by themovable holding part in an extreme position for holding the clutchdisengaged, and an actuator, the combination with the actuator, of meansfor causing movement of the actuator in a certain direction to disengagethe clutch and movement in the same direction to reengage the clutch,said means comprising cam means associated with the actuator, cam meansassociated with the movable holding part, a support, and means forming apivotal and shifting mounting of the actuator on the support for causingmove ment of the actuator in the said certain direction with the clutchengaged immediately to produce engagement of one portion of the cammeans associated with the actuator and of the cam means associated withthe movable holding part and thereby to shaft the actuator with respectto the support to cause the movable holding part to engage thestationary holding part for holding the clutch disengaged, and forcausing another movement of the actuator in the said certain directionwith the holding parts engaged and the clutch disengaged first to pivotwith respect to the support and then to produce engagement of anotherportion of the cam means associated with the actuator and of the cammeans associated with the movable holding part to disengage the holdingparts for reengagement of the clutch.

9. In an assembly comprising a clutch, a movable holding part connectedwith the clutch, a stationary holding part adapted to be engaged by themovable holdingvpart in an extreme position for holding the clutchdisengaged, and an actuator, the combination with the actuator, of meansfor causing movement of the actuator in a certain direction to disengagethe clutch and movement in the same direction to reengage the clutch,said means comprising cam means associated with the actuator and havinga recessed portion, cam means associated with the movable holding part,a support, and means movably mounting the actuator on the support forcausing movement of the actuator in the said certain direction with theclutch engaged to produce engagement between the recessed portion of thecam means associated with the actuator and thereby to move the movableholding part into engagement with the stationary holding part forholding the clutch disengaged, and for causing another movement in thesaid certain direction with the holding parts engaged and the clutchdisengaged to produce engagement of another portion of the cam meansassociated with the actuator and the cam means associated with themovable holding part to disengage the holding parts for reengagement ofthe clutch.

10. In an assembly comprising a clutch, a movable holding part connectedwith the clutch, a stationary holding part adapted to be engaged by themovable holding part in an extreme position for holding the clutchdisengaged, and an actuator, the combination with the actuator, of meansfor causing movement of the actuator in a certain direction to disengagethe clutch and movement in the same direction to reengage the clutch,said means comprising cam means associated with the actuator and havinga recessed portion, cam means associated with the movable holding part,a support, and means pivotally and shiftably mounting the actuator onthe support for causing movement of the actuator in the said certaindirection with the clutch engaged immediately to produce engagementbetween the recessed portion of the cam means associated with theactuator and thereby to shift the actuator with respect to the supportto move the movable holding part into engagement with the stationaryholding part for holding the clutch disengaged,

and for causing another movement in the said certain direction with theholding parts engaged and the clutch disengaged first to pivot withrespect to the support and then to produce engagement of another portionof the cam means associated with the actuator and the cam meansassociated with the movable holding part to disengage the holding partsfor reengagement of the clutch.

JOHN L. AASLAND.

